Car-free day on 15 December in Durgapur to protect environment

Durgapur would have a car-free day on 15 December as a part of an exercise to reduce pollution due to cut in vehicular emission. Normally, vehicles go off the roads during bandhs called by political parties but this will be a first for Bengal. Private vehicles in Burdwan district will go off the road on that day. The decision was taken at an administrative meeting in Durgapur. On that day, only public transport like buses and commercial vehicles like trucks will ply.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 6 November 2015.

It seems, out of 300,000 two and four-wheeler vehicles registered in the district, 200,000 will be off the road on that day. The administration expects fuel savings to the tune of 10 lakh litre and a 60% reduction in pollution due to cut in vehicular emission.
Government officials and staff will have to avail public transport or cycle or walk to work on December 15. The Distrrict Magistrate is also appealing to citizens not to use their motor private vehicles and instead go in for non-polluting cycles and rickshaws.
West Bengal is accustomed to car-free days mostly due to politically motivated reasons and, this would be a first when environment would be taking precedence.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)


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